The present invention pertains to a cabinet a wall-mounted cabinet that is especially adapted for use as a security cabinet.
A small business, such as a convenience store, a market, a hardware store, or other retail business, usually cannot afford security personnel and must rely solely upon various types of monitoring equipment to record activities detrimental to the security of its business including its merchandise and records. Without attending personnel, however, the components of security systems currently in use for small businesses are often vulnerable to tampering or theft.
Commonly used security systems typically include video cameras mounted at various locations around an establishment and connected by coaxial cables to monitoring equipment located at some convenient place in the building, which for a small business usually is a corner of the manager""s office, a closet, or sometimes even fully exposed on a shelf behind the cash register. The monitoring equipment generally includes a video monitor, a video tape recorder, a multiplexer, a power source or supply, a storage area for videotapes, and the necessary electrical connections. As stated, such monitoring equipment will most likely not be under the surveillance of security personnel, such as might be stationed in the lobby of a larger commercial or industrial enterprise, but must depend on the owner""s or manager""s infrequent inspections for the integrity of the system.
Efforts are sometimes made to protect the monitoring area by placing the video tape recorder in a box that is locked and rests on a table. The video monitor is usually placed on top of the box, and the videotapes are often stored on some shelf or simply placed on the table next to the box containing the videotape recorder. Experience shows that these measures offer no security at all since the power cord or cables leading to the VCR and other equipment can readily be unplugged or cut, and the locked box, including its contents, can be stolen. Of course, the exposed videotapes, perhaps containing damaging evidence of illegal activities, can likewise be stolen or compromised.
A wall-mounted cabinet is disclosed that is especially adapted for use as a security cabinet in a security system. System includes a cabinet and the equipment secured by the cabinet in such a manner that the system does not rely on surveillance by security personnel. The cabinet includes a housing with a back support panel securely fastened to a wall of the building that is being monitored. The panel fits around cables used to power or otherwise electrically service the equipment. The housing also has top, bottom and side panels projecting outwardly from the back panel, and shelves are located within the housing defining an upper and lower compartments. Upper and lower doors are mounted on the housing for movement between open and closed positions over the compartments, and locks on the doors secure the doors in their closed positions. Fasteners join the panels of the housing together so that access from the exterior of the cabinet when locked is prevented short of destroying the cabinet. The monitoring equipment includes a TV monitor or display secured to the top of the housing; recording equipment supported on an upper shelf in the upper compartment; video tapes supported on lower shelves in the lower compartment; electrical connections enclosed by the cabinet and including cables extending from the equipment out of the cabinet through the back and either extending through the wall or connected to power outlets in the wall; and a cooling fan mounted in the cabinet for cooling the equipment.
An object of this invention is to provide a wall-mounted cabinet that is especially adapted for use as a security cabinet.
An object of this invention is to provide an improved security system, particularly suited for use by small businesses.
Another object is to provide a more effective security system for an establishment where security personnel are not employed or at least are not in constant attendance to the security equipment.
An additional object is to provide a security system for monitoring the activities in a retail business establishment, or other small enterprise, wherein tampering with the security equipment or stealing it is made much more difficult.
A specific object is to make it much more difficult to steal the most crucial equipment of a security system, i.e., the videotape recorder and videotapes.
Yet another object is to house the monitoring equipment of a security system in such a manner that it is concealed, locked, and fastened to the building in which it is used.
A further object is to provide a security cabinet for the critical monitoring equipment of a security system that is so difficult to enter when closed and locked that would-be thieves will either be discouraged from tying or will fail and perhaps be noticed if attempts at entry are made.
An added object to house the critical equipment of a video monitoring security system in a common secure housing that is securely attached to the building being monitored so that the equipment cannot simply be carried away or easily compromised.
A still further object is to conceal in a secure locked cabinet all of the critical parts of the recording equipment of a video monitoring system including a VCR, video tapes, cables, and power sources and to attach the TV monitor of the system to the cabinet so that the monitor cannot be separated from the cabinet from the outside of the cabinet without destruction of the installation.
A further object is to provide a secure enclosure for the monitoring equipment of a security system while allowing convenient access to this equipment for servicing or other attention.
Yet an additional object is to provide a security cabinet for the monitoring equipment of a security system that has the appearance of another piece of furniture, thereby to compliment the accessories in the office or building.
An additional object is to secure the monitoring equipment of a security system so that it will withstand earthquake or accidental bumping, thereby to protect the equipment housed and also to avoid injury from falling objects.
A still further object is to provide a security cabinet that can be shipped in disassembled condition but that can be quickly and easily assembled and installed, ready for use.
These and other objects will become apparent upon reference to the following description and claims and to the accompanying drawings.